Brooklyn assemblywoman Pamela Harris has been indicted on fraud charges and accused of misusing tens of thousands of federal and state dollars for personal luxuries
A Brooklyn assemblywoman has been indicted on fraud charges and accused of misusing nearly $50,000 of federal and state dollars for personal luxuries.
Pamela Harris, who oversees Coney Island, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights of New York City, has been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, making false statements, bankruptcy fraud, witness tampering and conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to papers filed by the New York Daily News.
In one incident in 2012, the 57-year-old allegedly turned Hurricane Sandy recovery into a money-making scheme by lying about damage to her Coney Island home.
‘Harris was busy brewing a storm of her own – one that resulted in her receiving significant payouts by the very federal agency charged with helping those truly in need,’ FBI New York field office head William Sweeney Jr told the Daily News.
Court documents claim Harris lied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2012 about the level of damage Hurricane Sandy caused her Coney Island home.
The indictment says she took nearly $25,000 from the agency and pocketed it because she did not need the money to fix her undamaged home.
In one incident in 2012, the 57-year-old allegedly turned Hurricane Sandy recovery into a money-making scheme by lying about damage to her Coney Island home
Court papers also claim Harris defrauded the City Council of nearly $23,000 by saying, falsely, the money would go to pay rent for a Brooklyn nonprofit
During that time she was living in the home she’d claimed was damaged and filed phony rent payment receipts and a fake lease agreements for a residence on Staten Island, according to the court documents.
‘When she learned that law enforcement was investigating her various fraud schemes, she pressured witnesses to lie to the FBI and cover them up,’ US Attorney Richard Donoghue told the Daily News.
She was specifically accused of spending $10,000 of government money to pay for airline and cruise tickets for herself and her husband. She is also accused of using the money to buy lingerie at Victoria’s secret
Court papers also claim Harris defrauded the City Council of nearly $23,000 by saying, falsely, the money would go to pay rent for a Brooklyn nonprofit.
Instead, she’s accused of diverting the cash into her checking account to pay for personal expenses.
She was specifically accused of spending $10,000 of government money to pay for airline and cruise tickets for herself and her husband. She is also accused of using the money to buy lingerie at Victoria’s secret.
She was arrested on Tuesday morning, and is expected to make her first appearance in Federal court to be arraigned later in the afternoon.
Harris could face 30 years in prison if she is indicted on just the top count in her 1-count indictment, according to documents.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s spokesperson told the Daily News that today is the first they have heard of the investigation into Harris.
‘They are very serious charges and it is important to let the justice system take its course,’ the spokesperson said.
Harris was elected to the city council in 2015.